Jammu and Kashmir agriculture minister Ghulam Hassan Mir today called for the formulation of a pilot project to provide adequate irrigation facilities to saffron fields at Pampore in Pulwama district.
    
"I want a project report within a week's time for its subsequent execution," Mir said, while chairing a meeting of officers to redress the problem of inadequate irrigation facilities to saffron fields here.
    
The directive of the minister follows heavy loss of saffron crop this season due to inadequate rains and irrigation facilities this season.
    
Mir asked the concerned agencies to undertake an inspection of the area for an on-the-spot assessment of the problem and identify the possible sites for the irrigation schemes.
    
He asked them and the engineers to consider all irrigation options like dig wells, bore wells and lift irrigation while making the project report.